North Central Kansas Advice

Alaskan swamp collies said:
Can deer hunters be an issue in Kansas? In MT and ND it is a total nonissue. If we meet they tell me where they have seen pheasants and I tell them where I've seen deer. In 30 plus years I have never had an issue, but I have never hunted Kansas during deer season.
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It depends on where you go. This is desperation weekend for some since it's the last couple days - so if it moves it may die.

I've hunted the Pratt Sandhills years ago during deer season (I like to rifle hunt too - just not as much as bird hunt) -- anyways I was bird hunting at the time - we heard a lot of shots near the trees and my buddies stayed closer to the road hunting a shelter belt and heard a bullet whiz in the trees.

I got out in the middle and low and behold saw some of the biggest bucks -- but Sandhills bucks are damn smart - they'll post up in a plum thicket on the side of a hill with the wind - your dog or you spook them and all you get is a flick of a tail and them bounding over the hill never to be seen again.

My point is stay out in the open - Orange up and common courtesy -- if someone is there move on or give them space. I wouldnt hunt heavily treed spaces at all.
 
I would advise making sure you and your dogs have orange on and try to avoid the timbered areas. Other than that I hunt every year during rifle season and haven’t had any issues. Thinking of trying the nc area myself this weekend. Haven’t been there in a few years.
 
Have hunted KS a couple of times on opening day of deer season. No issues. We definitely try to avoid them if we see a truck parked where we want to hunt , mostly out of respect and not wanting to mess them up. We have had them stop and ask if they can set on the opposite side of a section while we hunt.
 
Our way of hunting PC in Kansas was to find were they were feeding and then come back around 3 or four in the afterjoon and use pass shooting to get them as they were going to feed. Never could get close enough to them with a dog to be in range.
 
Got back yesterday, drive there was rough down 80 and I ended up sleeping at a rest area to wait it out which put me behind schedule by 5 hours but any way in the 2.5 days I did get to hunt I found a few pheasants, mostly hens but one rooster did give me an opportunity but I made a poor shot and I couldn't recover the bird. I did come across some prairie chickens, which was a first for me. I wasn't expecting much from the trip but was pleased I actually found birds. I always hope to find quail but never saw any of those this time around. Sunday there was a ton of hunters and I spent half the day trying to get away from other groups. I had a good time nonetheless and each time I go a little more. I like to think I would have been more successful if I hadn't made stupid rookie mistakes.
 
Sounds likes it was a tough hunt. I have one more tripped planned this year. Not sure were to go at this point.
 
DEDBRD said:
Sounds likes it was a tough hunt. I have one more tripped planned this year. Not sure were to go at this point.
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I don't know if it was a "tough hunt" it was what I expected. This is my 3rd trip to KS and I'm learning more each time. The worst part of the trip was the drive there and back and on day 2 the flat tire that cut my day short.
 
CGD said:
I don't know if it was a "tough hunt" it was what I expected. This is my 3rd trip to KS and I'm learning more each time. The worst part of the trip was the drive there and back and on day 2 the flat tire that cut my day short.
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When you come back I'm sure someone would be happy to show around. Going in cold can be tough for sure. Last week I hunted 3 days, farther west than I ever hunt and it was tough I managed 3 and a couple of quail and managed to ruin a tire , I can relate
 

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BrownDogsCan2 said:
When you come back I'm sure someone would be happy to show around. Going in cold can be tough for sure. Last week I hunted 3 days, farther west than I ever hunt and it was tough I managed 3 and a couple of quail and managed to ruin a tire , I can relate
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Thanks for the offer, not sure when I will be back, if I don't get another dog for a while it may be a couple years, one old dog and one guy makes for long days. You did a good number on your tire. I caught mine early enough I was about 25 miles from town and I was able to get back to my hotel and get the spare on but I didn't trust my spare on the gravel and it was late enough in the day I just stayed in the hotel and got to a repair shop first thing Monday morning. I've trained myself to check my tire pressures on the dash every time I leave a spot.
 
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